Physical and emotional well-being in 60 to 70-years-old bernese subjects with neurotical symptoms in childhood - A prospective investigation over more than 50 years (Emmental cohort)

The present study was undertaken to assess the influence of childhood varia bles (physical and emotional) to later well-being in a group of rural Swiss (Emmental Cohort). Our study is the first prospective cohort over a time p eriod of more than 50 years. It includes 1537 children who were listed and assessed in 1942 (T1) because they had difficulties in school or were other wise behaviorally disturbed. In 1995 (T2) more than 60% of the initial popu lation could be reassessed by our study group. We found more subjects at T2 who had been rated as intelligent at T1. More subjects responding to T2 be longed to a higher social class, were more anxious, and had more psychosoci al problems at T1. Social income at T2 is correlated to the social class at T1. More subjects have died since who were rated at T1 as being less intel ligent, less neurotical, and having higher psychosocial problems. Twice as many men died than women. The emotional situation at T2 is significantly co rrelated to psychological well-being at T1. The somatic complaints at T2 co rrelate significantly to neurotic symptoms in childhood (T1). The more inte lligent the children were rated at T1, the less emotional and somatic compl aints were voiced at T2 and the better the psychic well-being was rated (T2 ). In addition, the former social milieu (T1) significantly determined soma tic and psychological complaints at T2. Our data discern a significant corr elation between actual status and former childhood variables more than 50 y ears later in a rural Swiss cohort (Emmental Cohort).